


Can I Race?

by bbcf1sundays



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Multi, Next Gen AU, next generation au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 02:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4461596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bbcf1sundays/pseuds/bbcf1sundays
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bernie's hosting a fun, charity race after qualifying.</p><p>Soon, quite a few people from inside the paddock want their chance to race for the first time.</p><p>(Basically, all the babies want to go racing and their parents get worried/competitive)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can I Race?

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: Names changes to Alaïa Rosberg and Matilda Vettel :D

The qualifying debrief finally ended and Nico breathed a sigh of relief. He had taken pole but his team mate, Valtteri, suffered an engine problem and was down in 12th. After consolation that the problem wouldn’t come up during the race, Toto dismissed the team.

Nico walked down the paddock to the Mercedes motor home where he couldn’t find Alaïa running around. Vivian was nowhere to be seen as well. He found Emilia who advised him to look around the pit lane.

He took the shortcut through the almost empty garage to the pit lane. He could hear the dirty sound of a few engines firing up, as opposed to the clean engine noise he was used to. He reached the front of the garage to find a few karts being fired up, whilst quite a few stood amongst the crowd that has gathered.

His gaze on the crowd was broken as he felt his four year old colliding into his legs.

“Papa!” she yelled as he picked her up. “Papa! Put me down! I’m a big girl now.”

Nico gently put her back down, smiling at Vivian who stood opposite him. Once her feet were on the floor, Alaïa smoothed her dress where her papa had creased it. Nico let out a small laugh, watching her, which only frustrated her even more. Luckily, a distraction appeared to quickly change her mood.

A small boy ran towards the crowd in racing overalls and a blank helmet.

“It looks like what you wear,” remarked Alaïa . “Is that person going racing?”

“Yup,” replied Nico. He bent down to Alaïa's level. “Looks like he’s going racing in those karts.”

“Is that like the kart Opa Keke got me?”

Vivian reached down to the same level as them. “Looks like these are faster,” she said.

Nina stared at the karts for a bit longer before turning to face Nico.

“I want to race.”

Nico stared at her, his brain refusing to believe what she had just said. If there was one profession he wanted her to avoid it was racing. Not just because she was his little girl. It was too dangerous. And he knew if she experienced high speed once, she would want to experience it again and again.

Vivian shared his worried expression as Alaïa looked at both her parents who had now stood up.

“It’s just one race, Nico,” whispered Vivian in French.

“But it can lead onto more,” replied Nico, in French as well.

“So what Nico? Let her race right now and we’ll see about the rest when we get to it.”

“Are you guys speaking a different language again?” asked Alaïa, bringing the trio back to German.

Nico chose to avoid the question and instead bent down and ruffled her hair, earning another annoyed expression. “You can’t race in this pretty little dress. You’ll ruin it. Go with mama and change into overalls.”

Alaïa beamed with happiness and grabbed her mother’s outstretched hand as she went to go and change.

 

They stood next to one of the karts as Vivian fussed about with the straps on Alaïa's helmet.

“Ow, ow. Ow! Mama! You’re making it really tight!”

“Sorry honey but it has to be secure.”

“Let me try,” suggested Nico. As Alaïa let out a few more squeals, she attracted the attention of a few people.

Emilie bounded over to the Rosbergs as Nico finally released Alaïa’s helmet. Emilie was kitted out in racing overalls too and soon, Matilda followed behind her. Behind the two children were their parents.

“Look papa,” said Matilda, pointing towards Alaïa. “Alaïa’s racing! I want to race as well!”

“Matilda, you’re small,” said Sebastian.

Matilda stuck out her bottom lip as she sighed before continuing. “I’m only one year younger than Em and a day younger than Alaïa!”

Hanna’s thought was interrupted by a small child in full racing kit bounding to the middle of the group.

“I’m racing too,” smiled Sacha. “Papa’s helping Simon into his clothes and he’s going to race as well! This will be fun!”

Matilda turned to face her parents again, her bottom lip sticking out and hergreen eyes getting more innocent by the second.

“Fine,” said Sebastian. “Let’s get you changed.”

 

As the karts were lined up along the grid, Marion stood next to Hanna.

“Well Bernie’s plan to have a fun race for young children backfired,” Marion said.

“I know. This will get competitive very fast. It’ll be a blood bath by the end.”

 

Despite the plain overalls and blank helmets, it was obvious which children were the offspring of F1 drivers. Their parents had taken to advising them as they sat in their randomly-assigned grid spots. Their partners had give up on trying to remind them that this was a fun, charity race. It appeared as if this race would decide the actual championship. It seemed the most pressure was on Rosa Wolff, whose father and step-mother sat either side, offering all advice.

As the 2 minute warning sounded, the grid was emptied and most of the karts were fired up on the first go. The drivers lined up along the pit wall, cheering their children on. The names on the starting grid were soon known to the whole paddock and most of the drivers had joined the audience. Lewis stood with Nico, cheering on Alaïa, aware of how nervous Nico was. Pastor and Romain exchanged mischievous looks before facing the grid to cheer on their own children, with encouragement to beat the Vettels, who had somehow started in P1 and P4. Felipe was cheering on his son who was starting in P2.

Quite a few team members had showed up as well. The Williams team divided between Rosa and Felipe Jr whereas the Ferrari team found some German flags bearing 'Vettel' to cheer for the five and four year old.

Charlie made his way to his ‘cage’ as Murray Walker took hold of the microphone.

“5 lights, 4 lights, 3 lights, 2 lights, 1 light, GO! GO! GO!”


End file.
